#KitchenClearout September roundup and October linky

I don't know if it was just me, but September was a blur, what with getting back into routine and mentoring trainees, settling in new colleagues and sorting out projects for the upcoming year. I therefore wasn't surprised to see that this month's #KitchenClearout linky got off to a slow start, but now that we're into October, there are holidays on the horizon which means I can start attacking my baking cupboard again ! That said, I have been using up lots of odds and ends making multiple batches of cornflake cakes and a cornflake tart, but I've blogged about them before so I didn't add them to the linky.

Kicking things off was this Chicken & Leek Filo Pie, which was a lighter but equally delicious alternative to my usual flaky pastry-topped offering. It was great for using up the leftovers after the Sunday roast as well as some leftover homemade chicken soup.

The American classic Sloppy Joes was a big hit with the whole family, especially the kids, and it was perfect for clearing out all the odds and ends of veggies from the fridge.

Güveç is a hearty Turkish stew of meat and vegetables that cleared out the veg drawer of the fridge, as well as using up the remains of a can of peas and carrots.

Rummaging through the freezer, I found some merguez (spicy sausages) left over from barbecue season, so I transformed them into this Moroccan-inspired dish : Turkey, Merguez and Apricot Tagine. You can tell we're into the colder weather - the slow cooker has been permanently on the worktop this month ! 

This month's sweet treat came from Galina at Chez Maximka, whose banana cake with salted caramel marscapone frosting looks absolutely divine and was perfect for using up some overripe bananas and odds and ends of bags of sugar.

Alison at Dragons & Fairy Dust came up with a kale cocktail that is packed with goodness (and a sneaky shot of gin), as well as some apples that needed using up.

As always, a totally eclectic mix of recipes that saved things from the bin and transformed leftovers into something a little bit special. There's definitely an autumnal/winter warmer theme kicking in too. I predict lots more slow cooker recipes from me over the coming weeks.

Fancy joining in? Have a rummage through your kitchen cupboards, spice rack, freezer or fridge and see if there's anything that needs using up then come and share your creations with us. Or if it's way past its sell-by date, throw it in the bin and come and tell us what you found ! It would be great if you could add my badge and a link to this post for anyone else who wants to get involved.